Receiver for continuous inductive train-control systems



Dec. 27, 1927.-

W. H. REICHARD RECEIVER FOR CONTINUOUS INDUCTIVE TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEMS Filed Nov. 27, 1925 Patented Dec. 27, 1.927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WADE I'I. REICHARD, OF ROCHESTER, N EKV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL RAILWAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

RECEIVER FOR CONTINUOUS INDUOTIVE TRAIN-CONTROL SYSTEMS.

Application filed November 27, 1925. Serial No. 71.830.

This invention relates to automatic train control and more particularly concerns an inductive receiving device for automatic train control systems of the continuous inductive type.

In the continuous inductive type of train control system, the operation of the car-carunder favorable traffic conditions, these currents acting through an intervening air gap to induce volt-ages in suitable car-carried receivingv coils.

Tn systems of the type described, the control currents in the track rails are necessarily small and the car-carried receiving coils must be arranged withtheir magnetic circuits in close proximity to the track rails in order that appreciable voltages may be induced therein. It is desirable that the receiving coils be provided with a suitable magnetic core to collect the flux surrounding the track rails, and that the coil and core structure be ru'ggedly constructed to With stand the vibration and jar of train operation.

With the above and other considerations in mind it is proposed in accordance with the present invention to provide a receiving coil and core structure for continuous inductive automatic train control systems which is designed to be rigidly secured to a locomotive or other railway vehicle in close proximity to the track rails, the construction of which is simple, rugged and durable, the core structure of which is arranged to collect a maximum of the flux surrounding the track rails, and the coil structure of which is constructed to Withstand the jar and the vibration of train operation without injury to the wiring thereof. 7

Other objects, advantages and characteristic features of the invention will be ap parent as the description thereof progresses.

In describing the invention in detail, ref- Fig. 3 is a plan View of the receiving structure; and 1 Fig. 4 is a section along the line H of Fig. 2, viewed in the direction of the arrows,

The receiving structure of the present invention comprises in general a laminated iron core having an enlarged pole piece secured to one end thereof and carrying a coil or winding thereon. The core is preferably mounted at right angles to the track rail 1 as shown in Fig. 2, and the coil and pole piece are in thepresent instance locatedon' the inner end of the core, that is, on theend of the core which extends toward the center of the vehicle. i

Referring to the drawings, the core struc: ture comprises a horizontal portion 2 of laminae or side plates 3 are preferably of a greater thickness than the others, thereby adding to the strength and rigidity of the core andpr-otectingthe thinner laminae. Two upwardly extending hangers or brackets4- are secured to the outer end of the core structure 2 by means of the bolts 5 and. 6 as shown, these bolts together with the bolts 7, 8 and 9 alsoserving to secure the laminae of the core structure 2 together. The hangers 4 are provided with holes 10 to permit them to be secured to a railway vehicle.

Two angle brackets or hangers 11 are secured to the opposite faces of the inner end of the core portion 2 by means of the bolt 9. These hangers 11 comprise the vertically extending angle portions 12 provided with the bolt holes 13, and the horizontally extending foot portions 14 as most clearly shown Fig. 1. A horizontally extending laminated pole piece 15 of magnetic material is, secured to the under side of the horizontally extending foot portions 14 of the hangers 11 by means of the boltsas shown. The polepiece 15 is thus mounted parallel to the track rail 1. The pole piece 15 comprises a stack of magnetic laminated material. The two outer laminae of magnetic material, having the side plates 17 similar in thickness and in function to the plates 3 of the core portion 2, the entire pole piece structure being secured together by the rivets 18 as clearly shown. The heads of the bolts 16 which support the pole piece are preferably countersunk into the lower face thereof, whereby a smooth lower face of the pole piece is obtained.

interposed between the under side of the core structure 2 at the inner end thereof and the upper face of pole piece 15, is a small laminated core block 19. This block 19 is of general rectangular shape in cross section, having a slot 20 in the upper face thereof for the reception of the bolt 35. The block 19 is retained in place by the pressure exerted thereon by the core structure 2 and the pole piece 15, and is also held between the plate 38 and the inner face of the coil structure C.

The coil structure, indicated as a whole as C, includesa coil or winding 2% having a slightly tapered inner bore shown, and protected by several layers of linen tape and horn fibre 25. Suitable insulating washers 26 and 27 are placed on either end of the coil, these washers being composed of a tough insulating n'ia-terial such as moulded asbestos. Several la of manila rope 28 are wound outside o l the coil 24 between the washers 26 and 27, this rope serving to strengthen andto protect the winding 24. The entire coil structure including the rope 28. and the washers 26 and 2'? is enclosed by severallayers of line tape 29 and is impregnated with a suitable water-proof compound.

lhe coil structure C is firmly secured to the core structure by means of the taper-er wedges 30 and 81. These wedges are constructed of a suitable umtcrial such as castiron and are of general semi-circular form as best shown in Fig. 4-. D \prcssions 3i and 33 .are forn'lcd at the edges of the wedges 30 and 31 respectively, for the reception of the enlarged heads 3i of the bolts 35. The wedges 30 and Bi are so constructed that when placed within the coil structure (1. their adjacent ends do not quite meet, thus providing two longitudinal openings, 36 and 3? as clearly shown in liig. for the reception of the bolts 35.

In assembling the coil and core structure, the coil structure C is first placed on the core with the portion 2 extending through the opening in the coil and with the coil structure in engagement with the angle hangers 11 as shown in" Fig. 2. The wedges 30 and 31 are then placed l etween the core portion 2 and the coil structure C in the position shown in Fig. 4, the bolts are inserted betweenthe ends of the wedges 30 and 31 and. the plate 38 is passed. over the the junction box means? inner ends of these bolts and drawn into engagement with the inner end of the corestructures 2 and 19 and the angle hangers 11. The lock washers 39 and the nuts 40 are then placed on the bolts 35, and the wedges 30 and 31 are firmly drawn up between the core structure 2 and the coil structur'e C, thus rigidly securing these parts together without danger of chafing or cutting the windings.

A junction box B is preferably secured to the core portion 2 at approximately its midpoint by the bolts 7 and 8 as shown. This junction box B is provided with an angularly disposed opening to which a flexible armored cable 41, containing the leads from the coil 24;, is connected through a coupling a2. A second opening 43 is provided in the upper face of an outwardly projecting portion 4A. of the junction boX B, this opening 43 being preferably threaded to receive the usual conduit connection. A removable cover 45 is provided on the top surfaceof the junction box 13 and is held in place by the machine screws 46, this cover serving to permit ready access to the interior of the junction box for the purpose of making the necessary electrical connections.

. The core and coil structure described are secured to a locomotive or other railway vehicle by means of the hai'igers ll and t,

the relation of the core structure to the track rail 1 being as shown in Fig. 2. The hangers 4 and 11 are preferably secured to the usual bumper bar of a locomotive by means of suitably shaped iron straps which are variously formed to meet thercqnirements of various locomotive structures. When alternating controlv currents flow in the track rail 11, an alternating n'iagnetic flu): exists in the neighborhood of this track rail, which flux is collected by thepole piece 15 and the core structure 2, and thuslinlrs the wind ing 24;. Alternating voltages corresponding.

to the alternating flux surrounding the track rail are thus induced in the coil2et and are transmitted to the car-rar1'icd control apparatus through the armrned cable all and the junction box B.

From the description given. it is seen that a simple, compact, and rugged core and coil structinre has been provided. The magnetic circuit so arranged that an ap n'eciable flux is collected thereby when alternating currents flow in the track rails, The coil structure is strongly constructed, well insulated and firmly secured to thecore, and the electrical connection of the windingwith the car-carried apparatus is facilitated by Although the present invention has been described in connection with a single specific embodiment, it should be understood that certain changes and modifications may be mane w thout departing from the spirit of r f i Til) the invention as defined by the amended claims.

lVhat it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an influence receiving device for automatic train control systems, a core of magnetic material, a coil on said core, and a junction box secured to said core adjacent said coil.

2. An influence receiving device for automatic train control systems comprising, a lan'iinatcd core of magnetic material, brackets secured at right angles to said core at one end thereof, a pole piece secured to said brackets and a coil on said core rigidly secured against said brackets.

3. An influence receiving device for automatic train control systems comprising, a core of magnetic material, a pair of brackets secured at right anglesto said core at one end thereof, said brackets serving to permit the attachment of said core to a vehicle, a pole piece secured to said brackets, and a coil on said core rigidly secured against said brackets.

4:. An influence receiving device for automatic train control systems comprising, a core of laminated magnetic material, brackets secured to said core at right angles thereto, a coil on said core adjacent said brackets, tapered wedges between said coil and said core and means for drawing said wedges towards said brackets, whereby said, coil is rigidly secured to said core against said brackets.

5. In an influence communicating device for automatic train control systems, a core of magnetic material having brackets secured to the ends thereof, a coil on said core having a tapered inner bore, tapered wedges bet-ween said core and said coil and means for drawing said wedges towards said brackets on one end of said core, whereby said coil is rigidly secured to said core adjacent one of said brackets.

6. In an influence conm'iunicating device for automatic train control systems, a core of ma gnetic material, a coil structure on said core comprising a winding of electrical conducting material havi'ng a tapered inner bore and a plurality of layers of non-conducting material wound outside of said winding, and

means for rigidly wedging said winding on said core.

7. In an influence receiving device for antomatic train control systems, a core of magnetic material, a coil structure on said core comprising, a winding of conducting wire, washers of insulating material on the ends of said winding and extending radially beyond the outer circumference thereof, a plurality of layers of rope wound around said wind ing between said Washers, and means for rigidly securing said coil structure to said core.

8. In an influence receiving device forautomatic train control systems, a core of magnetic material, a coil structure on said core comprising an insulated winding of conducting wire and a plurality of layers of protective insulating material wound over said winding, and tapered wedges between said coil structure and said core, whereby said coil structure is rigidly secured to said core.

9. An influence receiving device for train control systems, comprising, a laminated core of magnetic material, brackets secured at right angles to the core at one end thereof, a pole piece spaced from the core and screwed to the brackets, a core block positioned bet-ween the core and the pole piece, 1:.

and a coil on the core.

10. An influence receiving device for train control systems, comprising, a laminated core of magnetic material, brackets, secured at right angles to the core at one end thereof, a pole piece spaced from the core and screwed'to the brackets, a core block positioned between, and interconnecting the core and the pole piece, and a coil on the core. 7

11. An influence lreceiving device for train control systems, comprising, a iaminated core of magnetic material, brackets secured at right angles to the core at one end thereof, a pole piece spaced from the core and screwed to the brackets, a core block positioned between the core and the pole piece, and a coil on the core, rigidly secured against said bracket, the pole piece projecting beyond the edge of said coil.

Intestimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WADE H. REIGHARD. 

